John Taylor takes helm as inaugural director of Department of Local Services
Crossposted from Inside Transportation One day after being named the first director of a new King County department designed to exclusively serve residents of the unincorporated areas, John Taylor participated at a retreat for division leaders and outlined his vision for delivering outstanding local public services. “There is currently no city hall for the residents of unincorporated King County, yet it’s in effect a city of 250,000 people,” he said. “Our goal is to give them that ‘city hall’ — a place they can get permits in a simple way, get their… Read More
Inclusive process results in more accountability and higher customer standards for Metro’s Access paratransit service
King County Metro’s American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) Paratransit Program provides shared rides on Access Transportation for people whose disability(ies) prevent them from using fixed route bus or light rail service. Access Transportation provided nearly 1 million trips last year, serving about 10,000 customers. With the help of customers and advocates, King County Metro is scheduled to have a new contract to improve Access service beginning in August 2019. Metro first asked for contractor proposals last year; however, Access riders and other stakeholders communicated their disappointment that they were not… Read More
Disability Awareness Month: Transit Disability Services helps to provide resources for over 5,000 employees
Sometimes it just takes a little creativity and a few good resources to make it easier for an employee to do their job. For the past two decades, a small group of Transit Disability Services staff has been coming up with ideas to help Transit workgroups accommodate employees who have a medical condition, from bus drivers to office workers. A study by the Job Accommodation Network in partnership with the West Virginia University School of Social Work, found that the majority of workplace accommodations employees need are either free or low cost. For Transit… Read More
Lourdes Garcia brings her family’s passion for helping others to DPD
Lourdes Garcia slipped out of Cuba with her family when she was 7 years old, carrying little more than the clothes she could cram into a suitcase. Her parents left behind good jobs, furnishings, a large extended family. It was hard rebuilding their lives once they landed in Seattle, said Lourdes, who today works for the county’s Department of Public Defense. But her family’s remarkable story also instilled in her the importance of helping others – in part, because of the role model of her father, a man who helped countless Cuban refugees… Read More
Taking care of ourselves and one another in a difficult time
Dear colleague, Over the last several weeks in the national media, we have seen courageous women coming forward and reporting their experiences of sexual assault. Many of us have been impacted by these reports and the media that surrounds them. I know that there are many different reactions to this news. I also want to acknowledge there are many cases of sexual assault and harassment that don’t get national attention, and many that don’t get reported out of fear and marginalization. This is especially true for members of the transgender community, Native… Read More
Leo Flor appointed Director of the Department of Community and Human Services
Dear fellow King County employee, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Leo Flor as our new Director of the Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS). His appointment is subject to Council confirmation. Leo was the successful candidate from our nationwide recruitment for the new director. He currently serves as Director of DCHS’ Community Services Division, overseeing services that connect people to employment, support military veterans and their families, and ensure that older adults can live with dignity. Prior to that he managed the successful effort to renew the Veterans,… Read More
Protect your pet against rabies
Crossposted from tails from RASKC Public Health – Seattle & King County has tracked several cases of rabies in wild animals in our region this year. This potentially deadly virus is contagious, and in our state is usually carried by bats. While not every bat is infected with rabies, call Public Health at 206-296-4774 or seek help from a healthcare professional any time a person or pet has come in contact with a bat. Read more
King County Archives Road Show, Oct. 10
King County Archives is opening our vault and sharing history with fellow county employees and the public! On Wednesday, October 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. archives staff will be in Chinook Building Room 115 to answer your archives-related questions. Interesting exhibits, stickers and our “Archives Photo Booth” where you can take fun selfies with historical images from our archives will also be on hand. Come see how the King County Archives is turning your records into history. View the flyer for more information here. For more information contact County Archivist Carol Shenk at Carol.Shenk@kingcounty.gov.
Judge Maureen McKee brings a wealth of experience
Crossposted from For the Defense Since she obtained her law degree from Cornell University 16 years, Maureen McKee has been in the trenches of public defense, working as a line attorney and supervisor in one of King County’s public defense agencies. She has represented teenagers and adults, people charged with felonies and misdemeanors, clients who stood to be hospitalized against their will or civilly committed as a sexually violent predator. As the newest member of the King County Superior Court bench, Judge McKee has stepped into a profoundly different world. Assigned to… Read More
Leadership transitions at King County
Executive Constantine and his Senior Leadership Team have recently announced a number of leadership changes at King County departments: Earlier today Executive Constantine announced his appointment of Anita Khandelwal as Director of the King County Department of Public Defense. Khandelwal’s appointment is subject to Council approval. Anita has served as the DPD Interim Director since July. Prior to that she served as the department’s Deputy Director of Law and Policy. She joined DPD in November 2015 and has been practicing law for more than a decade. Yesterday Executive Constantine appointed John… Read More
Employee News 